energy and mineral resources ch. 4.1 chapter 4: earth’s resources
TRANSCRIPT
ENERGY AND MINERAL RESOURCES
Ch. 4.1
CHAPTER 4:EARTH’S RESOURCES
Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources Renewable resource: can be replenished
over fairly short time spans (months, years, decades) Examples: trees, cotton, other crops, fish,
livestock, sun, wind, water
Nonrenewable resource: takes millions of years to form and accumulate Examples: coal, petroleum, natural gas,
minerals
Fossil Fuels
Any hydrocarbon that can be used as an energy source. Coal Oil Natural Gas Tar Sands Oil Shale
4 Stages of Coal
1. PeatSofter
- plant (Releases less heat)
2. Lignite - sedimentary
3. B-Coal (Bituminous) - sedimentary
4. A-Coal (Anthracite) Harder
- metamorphic (Releases more heat)
A-Coal vs. B-Coal
Harder & dense More carbon Burns cleaner &
longer Met. rock Shiny Least abundant
Softer & less dense Less C Burns dirtier Sed. rock Dull More abundant
Petroleum and Natural Gas
Petroleum (oil): organic remains buried in ocean floor sediments – liquid
Natural gas: organic remains buried in ocean floor sediments – gas
Oil Traps must have: 1. Permeable reservoir
rock2. Cap rock - shale
Other Fossil Fuels
Tar Sands: Sand and
tarmixture
Oil Shale:Rock thatcontains oil
Mineral Deposits
Ore: useful metallic minerals that can be mined at a profit
Gangue: unwanted materials in rock
3 Types of Deposits
Igneous Processes: heavy minerals settle to the bottom
of magma chambers
Hydrothermal Solutions: minerals left after the late stages of magma movement
Placer Deposits: heavy, durable minerals settle from moving water
Nonmetallic Mineral Resources
Mined for their physical and chemical properties
2 groups:1. Building Materials
– Limestone, aggregates
2. Industrial Materials– Garnet, quartz, diamond
Mountaintop Removal Coal Mining
Before After
What’s in a pencil? Wood
Cedar – CA, OR “Lead”
Graphite – MO or Mexico Mixed with Clays – KY or GA
Eraser Soybean oil – S. America Latex – S. America Pumice – CA or NM Sulfur, Calcium, Barium
Metal Band Aluminum or Brass (from Cu
and Zn) – mined in 13 states Paint and laquer
Various minerals and metals Glue to hold it together
Various minerals and metals
Every year each person in our country uses about 11 pencils
ALTERNATE ENERGY SOURCES
Ch. 4.2
At our current rate of consumption, fossil fuels may only last 170 more years.
As population , consumption
Solar Energy
Advantages: Free No pollution
Disadvantages: Expensive
equipment Cloudy daysPassive Collectors: sun heats
objects, which radiate the heat
Active Collectors: Collect sunlight, transfer heat by circulating air or liquids
Solar Cells: convert sunlight directly into electricity
Nuclear Energy
Advantages: No emissions Inexpensive
Disadvantages: Hazardous waste Increased building
costs Potentially
dangerousNuclear fission: uranium atoms split when bombarded with neutrons, nuclei emit neutrons and heat energy = chain reaction to produce electricity
Wind Energy
Advantages: Free Produces a lot of
energy Disadvantages:
Noise pollution Large tracts of
land Bird migrationWind turns turbines to produce electricity
Hydroelectric Power
Advantages: Free No waste
Disadvantages: Sediment build-up Limited site
availability Flooding Fish migrations Water behind the dam is stored
energy that is released through the dam to produce electricity
Geothermal Energy
Advantages: Little
environmental impact
Disadvantages: Wells only last 10-
15 years Not available in
many locationsUnderground hot water is used for direct heat and to turn turbines to generate electricity
Tidal Power
Advantages: Free Clean
Disadvantages: Must have tidal
range of at least 8 m and a narrow, enclosed bay
Strong in-and-out flow turns turbines to produce electricity
WATER, AIR, AND LAND RESOURCES
Ch. 4.3
Water Pollution
Point source: comes from a known and specific location (you can point to it) Examples: factory pipes,
leaky landfill, leaky storage tank
Nonpoint source: not from a known, specific location (cannot point to it) Examples: runoff from
agriculture and cities
Runoff
Water that flows over land instead of seeping into the ground
Air Pollution
Pollution can change the chemical composition of the atmosphere, which maintains life.
Burning fossil fuels: major source of pollution Releases pollutants to form smog Pollutants combine with water vapor acid
rain pH acid rain 5.6…
Increases amount of CO₂ in the atmosphere (greenhouse gas)
Global Climate Change
Greenhouse Effect
Simulation?
PROTECTING RESOURCES
Ch. 4.4
Conservation
Conservation: the careful use of resources
The 3 Rs
The U.S. 6% of the world population Use 1/3 of the world’s resources Produce 1/3 of the world’s garbage
Protecting Land Resources
Compost: a natural fertilizer made of partly decomposed organic material
Recycle: collect and process used items to be made into new products Conserves resources Less waste
Water Protection
1972 – Clean Water Act Reduce point source pollution Increased sewage treatment plants Made more water safe to fish and swim in
1974 – Safe Water Drinking Act Set drinking water standards Reduced amount of pollutants allowed in
water
Air Protection
1970 – Clean Air Act Our most important air pollution law Resulted from the environmental
movement Set standards for chemicals known to cause
health problems Hugely increased air quality and reduced
the amount of chemicals in the air.
Ecological Footprint
http://www.myfootprint.org/